Following the deepening crisis in Benue State and the reported breakdown of the relationship between Gov. Hyacinth Alia and Senator George Akume under the leadership of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), a continentally renowned youth platform known as the NEPAD Youth for Democracy has knocked Gov. Alia for repeatedly blaming his woes on Sen. Akume.
Addressing a cross-section of the press, the spokesperson of the group, Oscar David Kalu, said the group has been following what he described as the ugly and avoidable crisis in Benue with keen interest and discovered that Gov. Alia was guilty of inciting the political crisis that is now further fueling violence across Benue.
The spokesperson posited that the leadership of the APC in Benue has never been in contention, as Sen. George Akume has always stood tall and become more like a father figure and leader of the APC in Benue State, in the same manner as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was named the National Leader of the APC during the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and was equally viewed as a political leader and father of democracy in Lagos State.
“President Buhari, during his government, wisely and rightfully declared and worked with Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the National Leader of APC, despite the fact that President Buhari was the sitting president and Tinubu was not even in government then.
“You see, leadership is earned over time and not by force. One’s roles and impact in a system and the lives of the people for a sustained period determine your acceptability as a leader. Hence, anyone undermining or controverting the towering leadership of Sen. George Akume in Benue is simply offending both God and man, which is the woes of Gov. Alia”. Comr. Oscar David Kalu explained.”
“The NEPAD Youth for Democracy frowns at and totally condemns the avoidable crisis in Benue State and bluntly demands that the Governor face his self-generated crisis and solve it accordingly, and stop seeking undue sympathy and inciting the people against one another by blaming his ordeals on Sen. Akume, who is busy with his national responsibility as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
“As it stands today, Benue State is suffocating under the watch of Gov. Alia with continuous crises, violence, and destruction of innocent lives and valuable property, which the Governor promised to put to an end during his campaigns.”
We are beginning to doubt the competence and capacity of the governor to satisfactorily manage the political interests and affairs of the state, which requires remarkable skills and tact.”. He said.
“How can a Democrat and clergy leader completely place a ban on political activities in a state and promote a primitive and divisive agenda within a party that he rode onto power? The unwarranted and unconstitutional removal of one of the youngest and most vibrant party chairmen in Nigeria today, in the person of Comr. Austin Agada, was a major contributor to the crisis in the state.
“As a youth-serving organisation, we firmly stand by our own and out-rightly condemn that action by the Governor in its totality and urgently demand the immediate remediation of the Chairmanship of APC in Benue to the rightful occupant, else we shall mobilise a national protest at the State House Abuja and National Assembly to demand the restoration of constitutional order and peace in Benue State.”. The spokesperson went on to declare, ”
The NEPAD Youth group threatened a 72-hour ultimatum to Gov. Alia to retract all actions that have led to the crisis, pointing out the chairmanship tussle and dictatorial attitude with gross disregard for laid-down conventions, traditions, and relevant laws as the crux of the matter and not the accusing fingers being pointed at Sen. Akume by the Governor.
“Benue is sinking daily and suffocating in violence and crisis under Gov. Alia, and the Governor is busy chasing rats while his house is on fire. We are aware of the rising discontent across the country over the situation in the state and the increasing opinion for a call for a state of emergency in Benue.
“The hundreds of thousands of members of our membership will be forced to join this call and the national mass action within the next three days if we do not see positive and remedial actions by Gov. Alia. This is no longer about Benue alone, but now a matter of national emergency”.
ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM TheWitness
